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The Adventure of the Abominable Caveman
The Adventure of the Abominable Caveman is the second short story in the Biggles - Charter Pilot , published in 1943. The story first appeared in Boy's Own Paper in January 1942 under the title "Bishimbi the Caveman". In Charter Pilot, this story is preceded by The Adventure of the Enchanted Island and followed by The Adventure of the Horticultural Hermits. The story was adapted in French as a comic strip and included in the small format comic album Thierry #23 by Aredit, under the title Le terrible troglodyte, published in 1966. Synopsis Ginger recounts for his 666 Squadron mates the story of the time when Dr Augustus Duck hired him, Biggles, Algy and he acted as charter pilots to search for an Abominable Caveman said to reside on an island off the coast of Southwest Africa. Plot (click on expand to read) After lunch in the mess, the officers of 666 Squadron discuss the recent re-occupation of Abyssinia. Ginger remarks that the Abyssinians remind him of Bishimbi, the "Abominable Caveman" and is persuaded to tell the story. This time, Biggles and co. are in Africa with Dr Augustus Duck. He consults his notes and decides to go to Walleroo Island off the coast of Southwest Africa. The island was also known as Labyrinth Island because the sea had eroded a vast honeycomb of caves in the rock. According to Duck, there was talk of a hairy "Abominable Caveman" who came out at night wielding a giant club, digging up the graves and gnawing the bones. This man, known as Bishimbi, had frightened all the local Hottentot villagers into leaving the island. Biggles and co. arrive and find the village and the rest of the island deserted. The only unusual feature is a cove where the beach looks like a battlefield, with blood everywhere. Biggles sends Algy off in the Wanderer while the rest secretly return to the village and hide in an abandoned house. That night, they see a hairy man with a big club and follow him discreetly to the beach. There is a sailing dinghy there and voices. It turns out it is a gang of seal poachers--which explains the blood on the beach. They had hired Bishimbi to dress up in animal skins to frighten away the local villagers so that the gang can hunt the seals in what is otherwise a seal sanctuary. While the gang is away, Biggles holes their dinghy, stranding them on the island. The gang discover them and there is an exchange of fire. Biggles and co. hold out until Algy returns with a group of policemen. The authorities have alson summoned a naval shore party. Together, the poachers are corned and then arrested. Characters *Biggles *Algy *Ginger *Dr Augustus Duck *Bishimbi 666 Sqn Personnel during the Preamble *Bertie *Tug Carrington Aircraft *Wanderer Places Visited *Walleroo Island - also known as Labyrinth Island *Cape Town Mentioned Research Notes References to the past Incongruities Chronology References Category:Biggles short stories Category:Short stories Category:Interwar era characters